
So I spent a moment yesterday in 'The Mall" (Poughkeepsie Galleria), no not reliving junior high glory days, but looking into some communication options. I went to the AT&T booth and hung out with Jesse and Kevin (hoping I got the names right - not my strength!). They were great, and with lots of good information and interest in my trek. I went to AT&T because that's who I use right now and also because they use sim cards/the types of phones I could use abroad.

Their solution - which seemed pretty ideal - was the i phone. I can basically do everything I want to do with it from wireless keyboard to messaging to email and blog posting, pictures, video, etc. All seems quite simple. And I could get the old one for $99 or the new one for $199, if I go onto my parents plan (I'm currently on the pay as you go/highway robbery plan). I would have to change my current number though, but wouldn't pay anything more than I am now to be on their plan, and my communications issue would be solved for about $130 plus tax (keyboard and phone), or $230. the newer phone has a better camera and a flash, unfortunately possibly both needed and worth the extra layout. I had been budgeting about 200 each for phone and netbook (at a possible family discount), and was pretty aware that was an incredibly optimistic estimate.

So it seems ideal, BUT,
can the i phone work in Sierra Leone? They were saying that it requires a data package, but what is the service there like? The country has plenty of mobile phone service, but how advanced is that specific service? Would an i phone work on it and to what extent of coverage? The one company
Zain offers Blackberry Enterprise services, but I didn't see anything about an i phone. Another service,
Africell has a pretty poor web page and I didn't get far.
Comium markets mobile internet (using GPRS), but still no word on the i phone. I'll have to contact them and see where that gets me. But it still is encouraging that I should be able to get the keyboard and simply use the internet over the phone for all my needs. It may have to be with a blackberry though or something like that, but we shall see. What I had hear about blackberries was that they were not great for international stuff. Maybe I was wrong... ;)
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